Former Vernon Viper Les Reaney Heads Into Tonight's Game 3 Pointless In CHL Playoffs:

Former Vernon Vipers forward, Les Reaney and the CHL Rapid City Rush enter tonight's Game 3 of the CHL Turner Conference Semi-Finals tied 1-1 vs the Fort Wayne Komets. Reaney and the Rush took Game 1 6-3, before the Komets battled back with a 3-1 victory in Game 2 Saturday. Reaney played parts of two seasons in Vernon (2002-2004) after coming over to the Vipers in a trade with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Reaney was then traded to Williams Lake during the 2003-2004 season. Reaney has spent parts of the last five seasons with the Rush. In 52 regular season games with the Rush this season, Reaney collected 14 goals, 30 assists & 44 points. Reaney is pointless in two playoff games.

Les Reneay Player Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=76516

This is posted on the CHL website:

Komets and Rush Battle Tonight in Game 3

#4 Rapid City Rush @ #1 Fort Wayne Komets
@ Allen County War Memorial, Face-off is 7:30 PM CT
(Best-of-7 series tied at 1-1)

Series Schedule (all times local):

Game 1 – Fri., Mar. 30 – Fort Wayne 3 at Rapid City 6
Game 2 – Sat., Mar. 31 – Fort Wayne 3 at Rapid City 1
Game 3 – TONIGHT – Rapid City at Fort Wayne, 7:30 PM
Game 4 – Thu., Apr. 5 – Rapid City at Fort Wayne, 7:30 PM
Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 8 – Rapid City at Fort Wayne, 6:00 PM
*Game 6 – Tue., Apr. 10 – Fort Wayne at Rapid City, 6:35 PM
*Game 7 – Thu., Apr. 12 – Rapid City at Fort Wayne, 7:30 PM

Playoff Series: The third game of this Turner Conference series will commence tonight in Fort Wayne as the Komets host the Rush for the first time this post season. The first two games were held in Rapid City but the series will now see the next three games, starting tonight, held in Fort Wayne. Game 4 will be played tomorrow and Game 5 will be played on Sunday.

Game 1 – March 30 – The first game of this series went to the home-town Rapid City Rush who pulled out a 6-3 victory in a close tilt. Thanks to the four goals scored in the third period, the Rush were able to come back late for the regulation win. Rapid City’s top-3 point getter of the regular season, Jesse Schultz, stood tall in this first game scoring two goals and notching two assists. Also Collin Circelli had a great game scoring the game-winning goal as well as adding two assists.

Game 2 – March 31 – The Fort Wayne Komets came out with vengeance in the second matchup and pulled out a huge 3-1 road win. Goaltender Nick Boucher saw 31 shots that game, stopped 30 of them, turned away four power plays, and went on to earn the second star of the night. Captain Colin Chaulk scored the game winner with minutes left in the third period and helped his squad tie up the series at 1. Chris Auger had a solid night as well adding two assists to his scorecard, including assisting the game winner to Chaulk. Jesse Schultz added the only Rapid City goal but it was not enough as his team fell short.

Need to Know: Fort Wayne can really take advantage of home ice tonight as their fans play such an impact on the game. The Komets averaged the highest attendance throughout the entire regular season (7,770) and saw three games hit 10,000 or more fans. The Rush will have a handful tonight trying to take on a tough team in a tough building.

Fort Wayne needs to get more pucks on net and have been outshot in both games; the Komets sit in seventh of eight teams with the lowest average shots per game (26.0). Rapid City averages 32.0 shots per game.

In both matches this series, the team that scores first has gone on and won the game; scoring first is very important tonight.

Although Rapid City lead the league in regular season play with the best penalty kill, that does not give them the right to go out and get penalties, eventually it will come and bite them from behind. The Rush lead all teams this post season with minor penalties(12) but have managed to kill off 11 of those; they cannot keep this up and need to exercise discipline for the remaining games.

The Low Down: It will be a battle between the goaltenders tonight as both starters saw similar numbers during the regular season and also so far in the post season. Rapid City’s Tim Boron has gone 1-1-0 with a 2.52 G.A.A. and a .902 SV% blocking 46 out of 51 shots. Fort Wayne’s Nick Boucher is right behind him with a 1-1-0 record, a 3.00 G.A.A., and a .905 SV% blocking 57 out of 63 shots.

During the regular season Nick Boucher lead all goaltenders with 32 wins, had a 32-12-4 record, and went undefeated against Rapid City. While playing the Rush, Boucher went 4-0-0 while recording a 1.85 G.A.A. and .927 SV%. He was a large reason the Komets had so much success against the Rush, and this could be the same case in the post season.

Tim Boron finished the regular season in first with his .925 SV% and emerged himself as a sturdy and reliable net minder. His record was 24-11-2 and he had a 2.44 G.A.A.

Players to Watch: Rapid City’s Jesse Schultz has already had two great games in this series and will look to perform again tonight. Schultz sits in a five-way tie for the playoff goal lead with three goals in two games played. He also is in second in the league leaders with 5 points in only two games played. Missouri’s Thinel sits above Schultz, leading the league with 7 points, by has two more games played.

Fort Wayne captain Colin Chaulk has been a solid leader on and off the ice for the Komets, and the post season is no different. Chaulk recorded two game winning goals against Rapid City during the season, and also has notched the sole game winner for Rapid City in this series. In two games played the captain has recorded two goals.